Adjusting device



Aug 23, 1949. R. A. SHUTTLEWORTH 5 ADJUSTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 30, 1946IN V EN TOR.

\ ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 23, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTINGDEVICE Robert A. Shuttleworth, Buffalo, N. Y. Application October 30,1946, Serial No. 706,718 I 2 Claims. (Cl. 287-541) This inventionrelates to an adjusting device for adjusting a movable member lengthwiseon a supporting member which is round in cross section and moreparticularly to adjusting means whereby the stirrup of a racing sulkymay be adjusted lengthwise on a thill of the same to suit the length ofthe legs of the driver or meet other variable conditions.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide adjusting means for thestirrups on the thills of sulkies or lik installations which is verysimple and. compact in construction which is capable of being easily andquickly adjusted and which will securely hold the adjustable member inthe required position.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of this invention used in connection with athill and a stirrup of a racing sulky.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Although this invention may be used for adjusting members of variouskinds which are movable relatively to one another and for accomplishingdifferent purposes the same is shown in the instant example as onepossible use of the invention in connection with a metal thill orsupporting member l constituting part of the means for hitching a horseto a racing sulky and a metal stirrup or movable member II which isarranged on the inner side of the thill and which receives a foot of thedriver while seated on the sulky. The stirrup may be of any suitableconstruction but the thill in the present case has the form of alongitudinal shaft which is tubular and round in cross section, as shownin Fig. 3.

Due to the variation in the length of the legs of the driver, it isnecessary to adjust the position of each stirrup on its thill of thesulky relative to the seat of the same in order to permit him to assumethe most comfortable position.

The adjusting means for accomplishing this purpose in accordance withthe present invention are constructed as follows:

The numeral l2 represents a metal guiding and retaining rib or key ofsuitable length arranged lengthwise on the outer side of the thill andconnected therewith by welding or otherwise.

On this thill is mounted a metal split sleeve l3 which surrounds ththill and has its inner side connected with the stirrup and provided onits outer side with a longitudinal slit forming two jaws M, M onopposite sides of the slit part of this sleeve which are arranged onopposite sides of the rib l2 which is arranged in this slit. When thissleeve is free the same is capable of sliding lengthwise on the thilland thus permits the stirrup connected with this sleeve to be adjustedinto the desired position relative to the drivers seat on the sulky, butthe interengagement of the rib on the thill and the slit in the sleeveprevents the latter and the stirrup from turning on the thill.

In order to hold the sleeve and stirrup in position on the thill afterthe same have been adjusted relatively to one another, the sleeve iscontracted or drawn around the thill and its jaws I4 are gripped againstopposite sides of the rib or key I 2, thereby clamping these memberstogether and holding the stirrup against movement in a directionlengthwise of the sulky.

Clamping of the sleeve in this manner is accomplished by means whichinclude two lips l5 projecting laterally from the outer side of thesleeve on opposite sides of the longitudinal slit therein, and aclamping screw l 6 connecting said lips at a distance outwardly fromsaid jaws l4 and along the outer side of the rib l2 and preferablyengaging its head I! with the upper side of the upper lip l 5 throughthe medium of an interposed washer |8 while the thread IS on its lowerend engages a threaded opening in the companion lower lip, as shown inFig. 3.

Stop means are provided whereby the clamping screw is enabled to exert amore effective pressure on the lips l5 without tending to distort thesame. This is preferably accomplished by providing one of the lips l5 atits outer end with a stop lug 20 which engages with a stop surface 2| onthe opposing outer end of the companion lip. Upon tightening theclamping screw the central parts of the two lips will be drawn togetherwhile the inner parts thereof adjacent to the jaws M will cause thesleeve to be contracted and the jaws pressed against opposite sides ofthe rib l2 and the outer ends of the lips will be held in a spacedrelation and form a fulcrum which supports the lips and not onlyprevents the same from being distorted but also enables the jaws to gripthe rib and hold the sleeve and stirrup securely in place withouttightening the screw too hard.

This adjustable fastening is particularly desirable for use on sulkiesand other installations which require compactness and non-interferencewith other parts which may be associated therewith and the same is alsovery strong and durable and not liable to get out of order under severeusage.

I claim as my invention:

1. A supporting rod which is cylindrical in cross section and providedon its periphery with a longitudinal rib, a sleeve adjustable lengthwiseon said rod and provided with a longitudinal slit which receives saidrib, lips projecting laterally from said sleeve on opposite sides ofsaid slit, and a clamping screw connecting said lips on the outer sideof said rib.

2. A supperting rod which--, is cylindrical in cross section andprovided on its peripherywith a longitudinal rib, a sleeve adjustablelengthwise on said rod and provided with a longitudinal slit whichreceives said rib, lips projecting Mikel-ally from said sleeve onopposite sides of said slit, a stop lug arranged on the outer end ofoneofsa-i'cf lips and engaging with the outer endoi the, other lip, anda clamping screw connecting said lips between said sleeve and said lug.

ROBERT A. SHUTTLEWORTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 540,936 Williams June 11, 1895585,963 Mercier July 6, 1897 1,795,747 Viken Mar. 10, 1931 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 358,506 Erance 1906

